Are you a high school junior and still thinking of what career option to go for? Well, with so many choices and career options available, it often becomes difficult for students to decide as to which career would be best for them. If you enjoy writing, you can think of pursuing a career in journalism. Today, it is one of the most popular career options among youth, offering a number of exciting job opportunities. But before making the final decision, it is important to analyse personal and professional skills required to excel in this field. Journalism is classified into two basic categories, print and electronic journalism. In both the areas, good communication skills and an ability to express well, in writing as well as orally, are a must. These days, editors and writers are also expected to have technical skills such as creating multimedia, video and video editing and knowledge of content management systems etc. So, if you think you have these skills, a career in journalism would be great for you.

To polish your existing skills and learn about various other aspects of journalism, it is advised to do a course from a reputed institute. There are journalism colleges in India that offer degree, diploma and short term certificate courses in journalism. Minimum requirement to be eligible for a bachelor degree program is 10 plus 2 from recognised school. For post graduate programs, one needs to have a bachelor’s degree in journalism. There are journalism and mass communication colleges in India that also offer courses in specialized areas such as television, sports and press law. You can choose a course as per your likes and interests. If you are interested to work in newspapers and magazines, then a degree course in print journalism would be best for you. It will help you learn the fundamentals of journalism, which include critical thinking, good writing skills and proper use of grammar. Some of the subjects covered in the course include fundamentals and practices in journalism, journalism ethics, ways of reporting in web, print and other platforms, video editing, revolutions in web and graphic design, public relations and writing, foreign study in journalism, environmental reporting, marketing and principles of creative advertising. In print journalism, you have an option to either work solely on facts or as a columnist where you get a chance to write articles based on facts as well as personal opinion. You can also specialize in a specific field of your choice, for example, sports, entertainment, politics or weather.

mass communication colleges in India

Choosing the right institute for your course is very important. Nowadays, most of the employers look for students who have done their course from a reputed institute. AAFT school of mass communication is one such institute which is a top favourite among the recruiters. Its course in still photography and journalism is quite popular among students these days. The course is very comprehensive and helps one learn various skills required in photo journalism. Seventy per cent of the coursework involves practical training which prepares students well to work as photo journalist or freelance photographer.

Talking about the job opportunities in the field of journalism, it will increase significantly once you’ve completed your course from a reputed college or university. You can work in magazines, newspapers, press information bureau, AIR and TV channels or as a freelancer. After successfully completing your degree program, you can work as a reporter, correspondent, editor, columnist, proof reader, photojournalist or news analyst. In the editing area, there are a number of positions you can work at, some of which include chief editor, resident editor, news feature editor, associate editor or sub editor, depending on your qualification and work experience. If you are good at writing stories on specific news and topics, you can choose to become a columnist. Columnists are basically writers who write a regular segment for a specific publication. The write up is generally on a topic of their interest for example, for example, fashion, health, sports, politics etc. Those interested in fashion can work as fashion journalists and write contents exclusively on fashion and the latest trends in it.
So, job prospects in this area are many, all you need to do is identify your area of interest and choose the field accordingly.